Dunedin Technical Junior Football Club, Grants Braes AFC and other Junior Football Clubs are taking steps to help enhance the health and wellbeing of the children in their club.

Kerri Maclennan from Sport Otago says “young people in New Zealand like sport and participate in one or more activities regularly”.

“Young people want to have fun playing sport and also see it as a way to get fit and healthy. It is important for water to be the drink of choice in our sports clubs”, she says.

Football South is happy to support and promote the project. There are over 4,000 children playing football this winter in Otago. Chris Wright, CEO of Football South says “Access to healthy hydration options is critical during sports events and many of our sports fields have limited access to water which is why the Tap into Water project in an important project for our region”.

Junior Football Clubs are supportive of Football South promoting the project. Some echoed Mr Wrights concerns around acess to water. Dunedin Technical Junior Football Club say “Many of our games are at fields all across Dunedin, many of these fields do not have access to any water”.

Dr Rachael Hart, CEO from the Cancer Society says “Tap water is good for our health, our wallets, and is good for the environment. Obesity is the second leading cause of preventable cancer after tobacco so it is definitely a cause we want to support.”

“Tap into Water aims to create sustainable changes in junior sports, so, that despite committee change over, water is still promoted as optimal hydration for sports. Advocating to our local council for accessible and drinkable water is another aspect of the project”, she says.

Nicky Grant from the Community Oral Health Service sees Tap into Water as an essential project to protect the teeth of young people. “Sugary drinks are increasing in consumption and New Zealand has one of the highest sugar consumption rates in the OECD. I feel strongly about creating environments where it is easy for parents to make the healthy choice for their children to thrive”.

The Tap into Water Team would like to thank Moana Pool, the Orokonui Ecosanctuary, and the Dunedin Ice Stadium for providing player of the day awards.

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